Known as ‘The Mother of Pride,’ Brenda organized Gay Pride Week and the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade a year after the Stonewall Riots. Pride Month is largely credited as being started by bisexual activist Brenda Howard. The message was clear - protesters demanded the establishment of places where LGBT+ people could go and be open about their sexual orientation without fear of arrest. Johnson, leading the movement to continue over six days with protests and clashes.
New York's gay community, fed up after years of harassment by authorities, erupted in neighborhood riots that went on for three days.Īmong the many leaders of the riots was a black, trans, bisexual woman, Marsha P. On a hot summer’s night in New York on June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village. Tensions quickly escalated as patrons resisted arrest and a growing crowd of bystanders threw bottles and coins at the officers. The first pride march was held the following year on New York City in 1970 What is the history of Pride Month June 2021 is PRIDE Month and pays tribute to all of those who were involved in the Stonewall riots in 1969.